The invention relates to a carrier that holds a component in a defined position on a circuit board in a housing or housing part. In particular, the invention relates to a carrier for a sensor board on which a light-sensitive sensor is mounted. According to the invention, it is proposed that the carrier have at least one mechanical keying that interacts with a corresponding mechanical keying on the circuit board.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A carrier for a circuit board on which a component is held in a defined position in a housing or housing part, comprising: a carrier having two opposing side elements between which one of two different keyed circuit boards is held, each of the two different keyed circuit boards being mountable in only one mounting position on the carrier with the mounting positions of the two different keyed circuit boards being different; each of said opposing side elements having at least two different mechanical keyings that interact uniquely with corresponding mechanical keyings of the two different keyed circuit boards such that the mechanical keying of one of the two different keyed circuit boards fits one of said at least two different mechanical keyings of said carrier and the mechanical keying of the other of the two different keyed circuit boards fits the other of said at least two different mechanical keyings of said carrier.
2. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical keyings are formed by engaging projections and recesses or slots and brackets.
3. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the side elements are elastic and hold the circuit board in a clamped fashion.
4. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the side elements have openings, slots, or recesses in which projections, connecting pieces, or brackets of the circuit board fit.
5. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier has an essentially H-shaped form, for which two legs form the side elements on one side of a base and attachment projections on an opposite side of the base.
6. A carrier according to claim 5 , wherein the base has a center region with an opening.
7. A carrier according to claim 6 , wherein the carrier is made of a metal sheet.
8. A carrier according to claim 7 , wherein the side elements and attachment projections of the carrier are produced by bent sections of the metal sheet.
9. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier is bonded to the housing or housing part with a fixing mass.
10. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier has at least two attachment projections with which the carrier is fixed to the housing or housing part.
11. A carrier according to claim 10 , wherein the housing or housing part has receptacles which are dimensioned so that the attachment projections are held with lateral and longitudinal play, and wherein the receptacles are filled with fixing mass for holding the carrier, and thus the component, in the defined position.
12. A carrier according to claim 11 , wherein the attachment projections are provided with back-cut sections, tabs, recesses, or openings on their ends, which are inserted into the receptacles.
13. A carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is connected to the carrier via clamping means, latching means or attachment means.
14. A housing or housing part for an electronic camera, comprising: a light-sensitive sensor held in a defined position relative to an objective or an objective carrier, the light-sensitive sensor being held on a circuit board and a carrier in the housing or the housing part, and the carrier having two opposing side elements between which one of two different keyed circuit boards is held, each of the two different keyed circuit boards being mountable in only one mounting position on the carrier with the mounting positions of the two different keyed circuit boards being different; each of said opposing side elements having at least two different mechanical keyings that interact uniquely with corresponding mechanical keyings of the two different keyed circuit boards, such that the mechanical keying of one of the two different keyed circuit boards fits one of said at least two different mechanical keyings of said carrier and the mechanical keying of the other of the two different keyed circuit boards fits the other of said at least two different mechanical keyings of said carrier.
15. A housing or housing part according to claim 14 , wherein the carrier is aligned and fixed relative to the housing or housing part to hold the sensor in the defined position relative to the objective or objective carrier.
16. A carrier assembly, comprising: a housing, a carrier, and a circuit board on which a component is held in a defined position within said housing; said carrier having an essentially H-shaped form with two legs providing opposing side elements between which the circuit board is held within said housing on one side of a base and with two opposite legs providing attachment projections on an opposite side of the base; and each of said opposing side elements having at least one mechanical keying that interacts with a corresponding mechanical keying of the circuit board.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 13, 2006
May 4, 2010
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